ABSTRACT
The Southwest is a geographically large and culturally complex region that includes most of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico (Fig. 9.1). Most of the literature on the Southwest does not encompass the cultures of northern Mexico and is thus confined to the “American Southwest.” Others include northern Mexico and apply the term Greater Southwest. This chapter follows the latter model, as does the Handbook of North American Indians, and the term Southwest will be used to refer to the area designated in Figure 9.1 (although the Handbook does not include discussions on the native people of Baja California). The Southwest is the best-studied region in North America, due to its spectacular ruins and the many native peoples who continue to practice their traditional ways.
